Dale Cresap's blog

Is it possible for something to be large on the inside and small on the outside? This seems like a  contradiction in terms. My word says that you have an ‘inner man’ and an ‘outer man’. It is inevitable that your outer man is perishing. It is desirable that your inner man grow and enlarge. Have you met people who acquire greater (non-material) substance as they get older? It is tragic if this does not occur, but this spiritual growth is not inevitable. You have no choice in physical decline. You do have a choice to seek the Kingdom of God. Then you can be large on the inside even as you diminish on the outside.

If you spend a lifetime earning money and accumulate some, you may expect to pass it on to others when you die. They will be glad to get it regardless of what sort of person you were. Do you think it is a higher pursuit in life to seek wisdom and righteousness and the Kingdom of God? You are right about that. Who will benefit from these things when you are gone? There are other reasons for acquiring these things than mercenary accumulation, and they do produce a beneficial effect in this world, but this effect is better realized through intentional effort. Spend your righteousness now.

Have you ever been sifted? I told Peter that Satan desired to sift him like wheat, but that I had prayed for him that his faith would not fail, and that when he was converted to strengthen his brethren. Note that I did not say that I prayed to prevent this from happening. From the life of Peter you can see that he indeed was sifted like wheat, and his faith did not fail, and he did strengthen his brethren. Who would desire these things? Yet the passage implies that they are connected. Would you imagine that Peter thought the whole process was worthwhile except for the sifting? Are you willing to be sifted to enter your own destiny?  

I criticized the Pharisees for enlarging their phylacteries. These were packets of scripture verses worn to be visible. This practice had turned into a ‘mine is bigger than yours’ contest. Can you see why I disapproved of this? Is there a modern day equivalent? How many items are on your prayer list? Have you encountered Christians who were involved in a ‘my prayer list is bigger than yours’ competition? But prayer is good. So is binding my word upon you. Yet the way you approach these things indicated your real motive and the condition of your heart. I told my disciples that if they offered their prayers in secret then their Father in heaven would reward them openly. This principle still applies.

Do you like to receive recognition? Recognition for what? You use the term honor to mean positive recognition, and you give it to those whom you consider worthy of it, but there is another sense in which honor cannot be given or received. If you are not an honorable person, then no amount of recognition will make you one. On the other hand, if you live according to an intrinsic sense of integrity, you will be an honorable person whether anyone else recognizes it or not. Which would you rather be? I made a distinction between those who received honor from men and those who received honor from God. In the end there is only one source of honor that really matters.

If you were to conduct a poll you would find that happiness is very important to people. They put a lot of effort into the pursuit of happiness. How many find it? Would you think that something so important would receive a great deal of emphasis in my word? Yet you find very little there about happiness. Have you discovered that happiness is better obtained indirectly than directly? Does it seem counterintuitive to you that if you seek to save your life you will lose it, but if you are willing to lose your life for my sake and the Kingdom of God you will find it? Look at this same lesson substituting happiness for life and you will understand. Haven’t you observed that the happiest people are those least absorbed with their own pursuit of happiness?

Have you read in my word that you should not worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof? If you don’t like the way this is stated you could as easily say, sufficient unto the day is the grace and blessing thereof. How far into the future do you plan? Do you get stressed when your planning horizon exceeds what I am willing to reveal to you? But I have my reasons for telling you what I do when I do. This also is an expression of grace in your life. You are called to walk by faith. You can trust me to reveal the future steps to you in time for you to take them, and on this basis you can experience peace now. I’ve gotten you this far already, haven’t I?

Not everyone can sing well enough to make living at it, but everyone can sing. The same goes for dancing and many other things. Your culture places a great emphasis on things that make money and being the best. This mindset does not serve you well and is the wrong perspective. Singing will enrich your life whether it enriches your financial standing or not. Do you intentionally avoid the things that bring you joy because others are better at them, or because they do not make money for you? I would release you from the burden of this wrong perspective. In how many areas of your life can you find more joy? Start by making a joyful noise.

Do you believe in diversity? This term is currently used to refer to acceptance of others of different backgrounds, typically with regard to gender, race, and culture. This is a rather narrow view of diversity. Do I believe in diversity? Look at the world around you. I created it all, including the people made in my image, with all their richness and complexity. Perhaps your view of diversity isn’t diverse enough. But some people use this term as a code word for acceptance and approval of all things. This is not what it means. But you can start with the fact that everyone is made in my image , whether they acknowledge me and follow me or not, and use that as the basis to accept rather than reject them, and engage and talk with them.

Do you believe in destiny? When you were first saved the process may have involved someone saying that God has a wonderful plan for your life. Did their apparent interest in this concept end when you were saved? This is a true principle, and your salvation is central to my plan for you, but it doesn’t end there. Do you know anyone who has an intentional and deliberate way to assist you in finding out what my specific plan is for you? Then you will have to find it yourself. Don’t be discouraged and don’t give up. Be wary of those who are too eager to tell you what my plan is for you. Why would I tell them instead of you? Keep seeking and be confident that I will show you your destiny in time for you to walk in it and fulfill it.